Who Killed the Electric Car?

Who Killed the Electric Car?

By Chris Paine

  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release Date: 2006-06-28
  • Advisory Rating: PG
  • Runtime: 1h 32min
  • Director: Chris Paine
  • Production Company: Plinyminor
  • Production Country: United States of America
  • iTunes Price: USD 12.99
  • iTunes Rent Price: USD 3.99
7.265/10
7.265
From 179 Ratings

Description

In 1996, electric cars began to appear on roads all over California. They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline. Ten years later, these futuristic cars were almost entirely gone. What happened? Why should we be haunted by the ghost of the electric car?

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Reviews

  • Killed What?

    1
    By youlistenhere
    Look around, obviously no one killed the electric car. This film is about electric cars that took forever to charge, had very short ranges and used lead batteries. No one wanted them because they were a lousy product.
  • Update: Electric cars are cool AND practical

    5
    By Davis, CA
    A lot has changed in just a few short years. Nissan is selling about 2000 Leafs per month (and of course the Chevy Volt is selling similar numbers), and many other companies, Ford, BMW, Chevy are entering the market with all electric cars. Tesla sells cars with EPA rated range of 208 and 265 miles. The Tesla cars are beautiful, insanely fast but expensive. I'm driving a 2012 Toyota Rav4 EV. Full electric, no gas. My daily commute is 50 miles round trip. I drive 2 days, 100 miles, and then recharge with the car telling me I have another 25 to 40 miles left in the battery. It is way more than enough for an average commuter. The cost of charging the 2012 Rav4 EV is 1/3 of the cost it took me to drive the same commute in my Prius at 53 MPG. Hands down cheap to drive and a blast to drive. Cost of batteries is of course a concern but will go down if companies can achieve or want to achieve greater sales. As was the case with GM's EV1 and the original Rav4 EV, Toyota is not advertising the current Rav4 EV. They have zero interest in producing EVs and are only doing so because once again California is forcing them to do so. Finally, concerning carbon footprint: a recent study by Renault compared the lifetime carbon footprint of gas, diesel and EV versions of the same car (the Renault Fluence) including raw materials, manufacture, delivery, operation and end of life over 100,000 miles of use. This study found that EVs have a carbon footprint that is 40% of a diesel car and less than 1/3 of a gas powered car. The study convinced Renault to enter the EV market. Another point, the cars do last a long time, the original Rav4 EVs featured in the movie that survived are still driving around. One month ago I charged up next to a 2001 Rav4 EV. Still chugging along, silently of course, doing it's job.
  • Incorrect - Yes electric cars are cool but not practical

    1
    By Seattle206Baby
    Unfortunately large amounts of waste are still created due to batteries. Additionally electric cars do not go that far. This is not addressed in the movie and they only talk about positives and evil corporations. Big Whoop I wanted to see an actual practical solution but they aren't good at portraying that. Watch the top gear episode about electric cars where they run them through a practical test.
  • This is just the tip of the iceberg!

    5
    By (((SOUNDWAVE)))
    I have owned 7 GM cars, and now i see a monster that only cares about money and not of the well being of our country and planet. I will never buy a GM car again..... FORD! here I come!!!
  • Good Movie to Watch

    5
    By parasmani6
    It's good the get people to see alternate fuels in cars but Electric Cars are not the future. Where does the electricity come from? It comes from power plants again big corporations. The best alternative fuel is Hydrogen with Fuel Cell technology. Hydrogen is natural and is the most abundant element in the world.
  • Before you buy your next car, watch this

    5
    By SubwayJoyride
    The electric cars is catching on with automakers a second time like they did in the late 1990s, it may be here to stay. This movie will bring your up to speed until Revenge of the Electric Car comes out next year. It's maddening that electric cars would be on the road today (more than the expensive Tesla Roadster for sale and a smattering of prototypes) if the Big 5 carmakers and the oil industry didn't conspire to kill them off, like they did with electric innercity street railway!
  • I love this movie!

    5
    By puffysox
    I truly shows how corrupt big companies can be. And now that GM is going out of business, I can only laugh.
  • Eye Opening Tastefully Done

    5
    By niknucca
    This movie opens your eyes to the fact that we have had electric cars since the mid 90's. This movie is interesting and very well put together with different structures of the title. Would recomend this movie to anyone, you should see it.
  • Wow. Very empowering.

    4
    By Frequent Reviewer
    This movie was definitly a movie that I wanted to see. I, like many of American's population, had never heard of an EV1. The only electric ride that I ever had heard of was a solar power car that I got in a box of toys when I was little. To sum that up, I knew nothing. So I read about this movie in a magazine and thought, "Why not?". I bought it for my iPod and watched it with one sitting, something I find very hard to do with documentarys, and yes, it may have been a little slow at the middle, but after that bump, I found it very empowering. Now I'm trying to find out where I can get one, and who's making them available for the public for this age. Definitly worth watching if you need a little motivation.
  • they race solar cars in europe

    1
    By Banana024
    its because American's are stupid and just let the government do what ever they feel like because what it comes down to is money, we had solar panels back in late 1960's in space running satellites

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